For me, Christmas officially begins with the music…then shopping…then purchasing a peppermint latte…and then I finally start to decorate {generally after Thanksgiving}. After all that, I’m ready to focus on the reason for the season, do some volunteering, and plan some rockin’ family outings.

Lucky for me, there are SO many neat things to do in this area during Christmas, so I am starting to plan ahead since many of these events do sell out. Below, I’ve picked my favorite 25+ Christmas events in southeast Michigan that are sure to get you in the spirit of the season!

December 1 — Kerrytown District’s 8th Annual KindleFest {Ann Arbor} — Visit the Kerrytown District for an outdoor holiday market featuring local and regional artisans and farmers selling unique holiday gifts, as well as German foods, sweets and beverages. Enjoy live music, fire pits, a heated tent, s’more roasting and a Lantern Parade. FREE.

November 16 – December 31 — Wayne County Lightfest {Westland} — Lightfest features more than 47 giant animated displays and more than one million lights and is the Midwest’s largest light show. The complete route is more than four miles of Hines Dr. Entry is $5 fee per vehicle.

November 17 — Silver Bells in the City {Lansing} —The premiere holiday event for the state of Michigan, which includes the lighting of Michigan’s official Christmas tree and a fireworks show over the State Capitol. 5-9 p.m. FREE.

November 17 – December 31 — Wonderland of Lights at Potter Park Zoo {Lansing} —Potter Park will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland with thousands of holiday lights during the evening. Adults are $7/person, children ages 3-12 are $5 and children 3 and under are free.

November 19-26 — Festival of Trees {Dearborn} — Visit the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center for professionally decorated trees, wreaths and gingerbread houses, kid-friendly fun and Santa to support of the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation. $5/adults, $3 for children, and free for kids 2 and under.

November 20 – January 7 — The Big Bright Light Show {Rochester} — Visit downtown Rochester for one of the area’s most amazing displays of lights! Thousands adorn the buildings along Main Street. Absolutely stunning and FREE.

November 23 — America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade {Detroit} — Rockin’ parade along Woodward Avenue complete with floats, giant balloons, and Santa. Parade starts at 8:45 a.m. at Woodward Ave. and Kirby St. and ends at Campus Martius Park. REE for general admission. Expect to pay parking fees, so bring cash.

November 24— Fantasy of Lights Parade {Howell} — The annual Fantasy of Lights on the day after Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season in Howell. Activities begin at 4pm, followed by the Fantasy 5K at 6pm, and the start of the parade at 7 p.m. FREE.

November 24 – January 1 — Walk of Trees {Plymouth} — Bundle up the family and stroll through the Kellogg Park Walk of Trees. See 75 trees, each decorated by a local family, club or business. Trees are lit 24 hours from the Saturday after Thanksgiving through Christmas. FREE.

November 24 – December 23 — Meadowbrook Hall Holiday Walk {Rochester}– Visit this amazing historic mansion for a taste of Christmas past. It’s absolutely breath-taking! Visit with adults or with the kids and see Santa during select special events such as Breakfast with Santa. Tickets: $20/adults, $5 for children, and kids age 2 and under are free.

November 24 – December 30 — Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic {Flint}—Bundle up and visit from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. when thousands of lights sparkle throughout the Village. You’ll find villagers making vintage crafts, shops full of gifts and the Huckleberry Railroad waiting to take you on a festive nighttime ride. Ticket prices for the village/train combo: Adult {ages 13-59} – $15, Senior {60+} – $14, Child {25 months-12} – $12, 24 mos. and under are free.

November 25 — Santaland Parade {Garden City} — This parade is in its 57th year and features more than 50+ floats, and Santa himself of course! The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. FREE.

November 25 – December 23 — Santa’s Magic Forest {Taylor} — Visit Taylor’s Heritage Park to see heart-warming winter village scenes made livelier by moving animatronic figures. Many of the displays were created for the Hudson’s Department Stores. $3/adults, children 3 and under free.

November 25 — Made in the Mitten Holiday Market {Royal Oak}— Visit the Royal Oak Farmers Market for crafters, vendors, food trucks, a bounce house and more. Admission is $2 for adults, FREE for kids 10 and under.

Various dates, November 25 – December 10 — Holly Dickens Festival {Holly} — Visit the charming village that is Holly for shopping, carolers and a meal. {I highly recommend making a date night or girl’s night out reservations at the Holly Hotel for delicious food in a beautiful, historic atmosphere.} FREE.

November 29 — Holiday Tree Lighting and After Glow {Macomb} — Visit the Macomb Township Parks and Recreation for the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. This event includes caroling, the arrival of Santa, and concludes with the lighting of the tree. After, step inside for refreshments, children crafts and “carol-o-ke.” FREE.

November 30 — Christmas Open House {Milford} — Take a trip to the quaint village of Milford for the hospitality of the downtown merchants, strolling entertainment and special promotions and refreshments. Santa arrives at 6 p.m. FREE.

December 1-3 — Hometown Holiday Parade {Chelsea} — Visit Chelsea for the ceremonial lighting of the giant Christmas tree at Pierce Park, the Chelsea Light Parade, luminaries on Main Street and more. Explore the annual gingerbread house displays, sip on hot chocolate, and enjoy the special events planned. FREE.

Select nights, December 2-30 — Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village in Dearborn {Dearborn} — Take a lantern-lit journey into a living snow globe filled with live music, skating, fireworks and tons of winter wonder, including Santa and his reindeer. Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village is like stepping into a Christmas card from the past. Ticket prices: $26 for adults, $19.50 for youth, ages 5-12, and children age 4 and under are free.

December 2 — Christmas in the Ville {Fowlerville} — Visit downtown Fowlerville for a parade, a pet parade, hot air balloons and more. FREE.

December 2 — Holiday Light Parade {Williamston} — The annual Light Parade steps off at 6 p.m., with illuminated floats and vehicles, marching band, animals, and more. After the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will help with the lighting of the tree in front of City Hall. FREE.

December 2 — Noel Night {Detroit} — The annual Noel Night takes place at 75 Midtown Detroit venues, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Michigan Science Center, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Historical Museum, and more, each opening their doors to the public FREE of charge. Additional activities include carriage rides, shopping, crafts and performances by more than 120 area groups. FREE.

December 5 — Holiday Walk at the Flint Cultural Center {Flint} — Visit the Flint Cultural Center from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Holiday Walk, which features Santa, live entertainment, crafts and more. Don’t miss the Tree Lighting at 5:15 p.m. FREE, but a donation to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan is encouraged.

Select days, December 7-29— Merry & Bright Nights at Edsel & Eleanor Ford House {Grosse Pointe Shores} — Experience Ford House all aglow with holiday cheer! Walk through Eleanor and Edsel Ford’s historic home, all dressed up for the holidays. Warm up with cocoa and s’mores (available for purchase), and see the estate aglow with holiday cheer. The kids can visit with Santa, and everyone is invited to take part in a scavenger hunt to earn a holiday treat. Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for children 2-12. Children under 2 are free.

December 13 — Home Alone in Concert with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra {Detroit} — Enjoy one of the most beloved holiday films of all time projected on a giant screen in stunning High Definition accompanied by the Detroit Symphony live in the splendor of Orchestra Hall. Tickets start at $45.

I’m so excited for this post because let’s be real: ELF totally wins the best Christmas movie ever, right? But what could be better than a movie? A LIVE PERFORMANCE including Buddy the Elf brought to life on stage, in musical form! Talk about a dream come true 😉

Everyone’s favorite ELF will be coming to Detroit to the Fox Theatre Dec. 20 – Dec. 24 as part of the Fifth Third Bank Fox Theatre Series. I have the scoop, a discount code + a giveaway for tickets below.

ABOUT THE SHOW

ELF is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag
of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s
enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s
permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his
true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day
Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner ELF.

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit, ELF features songs by Tony Award nominees
Matthew Sklar (The Wedding Singer) and Chad Beguelin (Disney’s Aladdin, The Wedding
Singer), with a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers,
Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone). The production features direction by Sam
Scalamoni and choreography by Connor Gallagher.

SHOW SCHEDULE

TICKETS

Tickets range from $35-$75 and are on sale now and can be purchased at The Fox Theatre box office, 313Presents.com, and Ticketmaster.com. To charge tickets by phone, call (800) 745-3000.

For additional information, call (313) 471-6611. Series subscription packages and discounts for groups of 10+ are available by calling 313-471- 3099.

DISCOUNT CODE

Receive 20 percent off tickets to Elf The Musical with the password: SYRUP at ticketmaster.com. Offer valid on December 20th and 21st, 2017 show dates on select price levels. While supplies last, plus applicable fees. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Promo expires on Dec. 19 at 5 p.m.

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win 2 tickets to see Elf for the December 20, 2017 show at 7:30 p.m. at The Fox Theatre. Giveaway ends on November 7, 2017 at midnight. Good luck!